A Circuit Court in Tema has imposed a combined prison sentence of 13 years on two police officers for illegal possession and conspiracy to traffic narcotic substances.
The court, under the leadership of Her Ladyship Aleanor Kakra Barnes Botchway, found Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nasiru Amadu and Corporal Emmanuel Mintah guilty after nearly four years of legal proceedings.
The prosecution, led by ASP Ernest Kuofie, stated that the case originated in 2023 when an officer from the Afienya District Police Command reported suspicious behaviour involving the two officers. At that time, Amadu, aged 48, held the position of second-in-command at the Sakumono District Police Headquarters, while Mintah, aged 43, worked under him as a service driver.
On November 19, 2023, officers conducting snap-check duties received information that a Nissan Navara with the registration number GP 727 was transporting narcotics from Ho to Accra. At approximately 7:15 p.m., the accused officers arrived at the checkpoint and were stopped for inspection.
A search of their vehicle revealed eight sacks containing 541 compressed parcels of substances believed to be narcotics.
Further investigations indicated that Mintah had a relative, known as “Oluman,” who resided in Ashaiman Tulaku and was recognised as a narcotics dealer. On the day of the incident, Mintah had been hired by “Oluman” to transport Indian hemp from Peki Tsibu in the Volta Region to Tulaku. Mintah reached out to Amadu, who also communicated with “Oluman” to finalise the logistics.
The two officers then drove vehicle GP 727 from Sakumono to a forest near Peki Tsibu, where they collected the drugs from a Benz bus. They were apprehended while returning to Accra. It was later revealed that this was not the first time the officers had participated in such an operation.
The Forensic Crime Laboratory confirmed that the substances seized were indeed narcotics.
The court determined that the two officers had unlawfully possessed narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, in violation of Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, and Section 37(2)(b) of the Narcotic Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1).
ASP Amadu received a sentence of 10 years, while Corporal Mintah was sentenced to 5 years, with both sentences to be served concurrently. Furthermore, each was imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units (GH¢120,000), or alternatively, they would face an additional three years of imprisonment if the fines were not paid.
